Billions of two-sided forms are used every year, ranging from tax forms to insurance forms to accident report forms and the like. Heretofore, there has not been a satisfactory technique for producing an instant, carbonless copy of these forms for retention by the user.
Copending U.S. patent application No. 436,189, entitled filed Nov. 13, 1989 by Keith E. Schubert and copending U.S. patent application No. 334,183, entitled filed Apr. 6, 1989 by Keith E. Schubert disclose techniques for reproducing on two sides of a copy page information entered on both sides of an original page (form). In an exemplary embodiment of this technology, carbonless CB coating is applied to a selected area of the front side (Side 1) of an original sheet, and the remaining area is clear of coating. In the clear area, "variable" information is entered, such as by hand (writing) or by computer (impact) printing, and is reproduced on one side (Side 1) of a copy sheet. This occurs by the coreaction of a CB coating on the back (Side 2) of the original sheet, in an area aligned front-to-back with the clear area on the front of the original sheet, and a corresponding carbonless CF coated area on the back (Side 1) of the copy sheet. In a similar manner, "variable" information entered in a clear area on the back side (Side 2) of the original sheet is reproduced on a CF coated area on the other side (Side 2) of the copy sheet. The clear area on the front of the original sheet is offset (not in front-to-back alignment) from the clear area on the back of the original sheet, and it is in these offset clear areas that the information is entered. Other, "fixed", generally preprinted information, such as instructional information, appears on the forms to prompt the user to fill in the appropriate variable information in the clear areas.
Several software packages are on the market which are used for designing forms. Other software packages are used for filling in the variable information on forms. In the context of two-sided forms which have offset (from one side to the other) areas for entering information on both sides thereof, what is needed is a methodology for ensuring (in the forms design process) that the areas for the user entering variable information on the form are offset from front-to-back on the form (original page), and for ensuring that the variable information that is entered on the form is offset from front-to-back on the form when the form is filled out by a computer.
Further, what is needed are standardized patterns for laying out the offset clear areas.
The subject of the present application is effecting control over the design and imprinting of two-sided forms that will achieve the desired offset, or nonalignment of information entered on the front and back of the form. This will be very important to forms designers and users, particularly those using computer-based forms layout and fill-out systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,594, entitled APPARATUS FOR PRINTING OF ENVELOPES AND PRE-PACKAGED MAILING INSERTS discloses printing within selected areas both on the reverse and obverse sides of an insert (page) contained within an envelope. The inside of the front envelope surface is provided with alternating first inking strips and first intervening blank strips. Similarly, the inside of the back envelope surface is provided with alternating second inking strips and intervening second blank strips. The first inking strips on the front envelope surface are aligned with the intervening second blank strips on the back envelope surface, and the second inking strips on the back envelope surface are aligned with the intervening first blank strips on the front envelope surface. In this manner, when a printer impacts the outside of the front envelope surface in an area corresponding to the first inking strips, printing is transferred via the first inking strips to one side of the insert. When the printer impacts the outside of the front envelope surface in an area corresponding to the intervening first blank strips, printing is transferred via the second inking strips to the other side of the insert (by reverse print characters). This patent is limited in its utility by the line-by-line, front-to-back printing approach, with its intervening blank spaces (strips) on each side of the insert. What purports to be a technique for doubling the total amount of information contained on the insert, in reality, simply accommodates the same amount of information in double-spaced format on both sides of the insert that could be achieved with single-spaced format on only one side of the insert. Further, it is restricted to using the front and back surfaces of the envelope, with opaque carbonized stripes, to fill out the insert.